Heart Shaped Stone
by SapSorrow
Summary: A festive Thorki fanfic! A little peek into the family's midwinter celebrations in the time before it all went wrong. Gently fluffy. T rated at present but will go up to M if there's another chapter.
1. Chapter 1

**A Thorki Christmas special!**

**Set within the timeline of "Crimson and green" in my "Colors of Asgard" series but written as a stand alone, Loki and Thor are only barely adults here and have only been engaging in non – brotherly activities for a few months. **

**Heart Shaped Stone**

Midwinter settled on Asgard in a flurry of snow, chill winds sweeping down from the mountains and through the streets. Frost hung from the rooftops and balcony rails in shimmering streams and the palace glittered blue above it all. Asgard responded in kind to the snow and ice in roaring fireplaces behind every window, shining enchantments bedecking the trees and warmth to frighten away the frost that subtly frightened us all.

The royal family of Asgard were, in this respect no different from any other, mother and I had spent the afternoon hanging enchantments to light every window in the house with a rainbow of lights until the whole place shone both outside and in. We were sat by the main fire in the family quarters, conjuring golden animals in smoke through the flames when you and father came in hauling a tree that would reach the ceiling. You deposited it upright with a series of extremely manly grunts, suggesting I believe that mother and I were supposed to be impressed. We weren't –

"Am I to take it you boys have left that trail of snow across the whole house?" mother sighed, tolerantly.

"You know –" you said – "We have many people who could have done this for us –"

"What and deprive you both of the opportunity to show us how strong you are?" mother tsked at the very idea. You came over to join me by the fire and warm off in its glow –

"So –" you pushed me gently by way of greeting – "What have _you _been up to while we did all the hard work?"

"Did you not see? We made _everything _beautiful while you were dragging a tree around!"

"I'd like to see you drag a tree around!"

"You wouldn't you know."

"Loki? Why are there horses cavorting in the flames?"

"Well I _was_ doing a whole array of animals before someone came to distract me!"

"Loki!" mother called – "Come and help me put the tree lights up!"

I grinned –

"Watch this!" I beamed at you, going over to the tree and between us mother and I cast lights upon the whole thing, shining silver, gold, green and red, with moving showers of white light swirling through the branches. I was not looking to you for approval of course, when I saw the shimmer of coloured lights reflected in your eyes.

_x_

The Midwinter Solstice that year went from tedious to good to better throughout the course of the day. By the time all the drawn out public celebrations were over it was already the evening and banquet time. I confess banquets left me somewhat cold, though no more so than watching you engage over enthusiastically in them. I could only spend so long around the table before tiring – indeed becoming uncomfortable - at the proximity of so many others and retreating for the shadows where I would watch you all from the lofty vantage point of a range of emotions. I was not yet too far gone into bitter superiority when you came to stand beside me, in the shade of a pillar.

"We begin to miss you at the table brother."

"You're a terrible liar Thor, always have been" I smiled – "Please, admit that if I was missed it was only even you that noticed." No, I never would admit that I was pleased that you had; that you would leave the company of much more exciting friends to join me – it stirred uncomfortable feelings that I would only ever express caustically.

"You should re-join us – come, eat!"

"Yes because the sight of you inhaling an entire ox would not put me off that plan entirely."

You sighed and nodded –

"I knew you'd say that –"

"_Really? _Down to the last "Inhaling an ox"?"

"Oh alright, not _that _specifically – I brought you sweets."

You thrust a dish of sugared fruits into my hands before I could object, you always did know my weaknesses.

"Thor! Really! If I had wanted –"

But you wore me down with that _I know you better than you think Little Brother _face and I gave you one last faintly suspicious glance before – I admit – inhaling most of the dish full gleefully and handing you it back with one orange segment in.

"Your ability to share never ceases to overwhelm me" you sighed.

"It's your favourite. Anyway your ability to consume whole farmyards never ceases to overwhelm me."

"Loki!" You chided – "It's midwinter! Time to eat, drink, and make merry!"

"For you I thought that was all the time."

"Brother you are tiresome –" You sighed and then frowned to yourself, looking away from me and downwards –

"You _are _happy are you not brother? I – find myself – concerned" you said to the floor. I must have scowled, trying to work out how to answer that, it did occur to me for the first time, firstly that I had never considered it myself and also that nobody else had ever asked. My easiest response would have come from a dark corner of my head and replied – _I am never happy, _but it sounded as much of a lie to myself then as to say that I entirely was. The truth was I had been happier that year than ever before, but with the awareness of having what I wanted and loving it came the fear that I had so much to lose. I also suspected that you sought affirmation more than a complex truth.

"Do not be" I replied, hoping it would answer you without answering you. I silently slipped my hand into yours as we stood there and felt you squeeze it tightly before letting go as we had to.

"Come" you said – "I think it is time we can slip away now – mother and father will be wanting us for the purpose of gifts."

"You certainly do know how to make it sound other than exciting."

"Oh what? Does Loki like presents? Does that actually make you smile?"

"Shut up Thor. I am _sure _I won't like yours –"

"You wound me."

"Later". You looked up at me then as if to try and work out if I meant what you thought I meant - _later I will scratch my nails so hard down your back that all you will know is me wounding you and how you love it. _I did mean it and you could tell, I heard it in your low intake of breath and I smiled. I heard you growl softly and smirked as you pulled yourself together –

"Come _on!" _

_x_

By the time we appeared by the fireplace I was perfectly sugar high and expending all my energy on not being as excited as a small boy about midwinter. We were neither of us having any particular success in this area. Indeed you were worse than me, and had to go first, unwrapping all your presents while I looked down my nose at what was mostly an assortment of weaponry. You then did the same while I unwrapped what was mostly an assortment of books. You wrinkled your nose in disgust –

"Gods Loki, your presents are so _boring!"_

"I would rather have mine than be burdened with _yours _thank you very much!"

"Now boys!" Mother said – "You don't have to like _each other's _presents as long as you like your own!"

We behaved long enough to mumble our thanks and while our parents were handing each other their gifts I trust mine awkwardly at you while you did the same. I looked at the badly wrapped present you had given me with a raised eyebrow –

"Well. This is…..tiny."

"Yes well. You did not deserve anything else. Besides you can hardly talk – what is this?"

"Suppose you just unwrap it and insult it later?"

I smirked watching you attempt to gently unwrap the very tiny present, secretly scrunched up inside hoping you would not hate it. You frowned at first, not understanding –

"It's a – necklace? Brother are you insinuating something?" I rolled my eyes as you held the carved rune between two fingers –

"It's a battle charm, I made it – it should keep you safe. If I did it right you'll be practically invincible in a fight." Unfortunately mother chose this moment to pay attention and blow a great deal of my cover –

"That is _fascinating –" _she peered at it closely – "Loki – I've never seen this charm before – this is very powerful, wherever did you find it?"

I was horrified to feel my cheeks growing warm, I would have preferred it if you had hated it, but I could not fail to answer mother;

"Nidaviller" I muttered.

"You went all the way to the dwarven realms to get your brother a midwinter present?" Mother stopped just short of saying something appalling like "That's so sweet!" but I could hear it in her voice.

"You should be more careful" was father's contribution – "Those realms can be dangerous."

"I was fine" I lied, neglecting to mention my several brushes with death on that particular venture. You were looking at me with that close _I just figured something out _expression and I suddenly fervently wanted the ground to swallow me up before you realised that I was that desperate to not see you get hurt.

"Here –" I offered, seeing you fumble an attempt to tie it round your neck – "Let me –" It was dangerous ground to be on around our parents, feeling your hair tickle my fingers and your skin warm beneath them, but it was better than everyone noticing that I had done something nice.

"Now you open mine!" You grinned. _I _managed to unwrap yours easily, in spite of the mess you had made and the multiple attempts to get the paper to stick that had resulted in quite a sticky mess. I grumbled all the way;

"Hey!" You protested – "It took me hours to do that!"

"I bet it did" I rolled my eyes and unwrapped – a small grey stone in the shape of a heart with a small card accompanying it to inform me that stroking the stone would relieve me of stress and remind me that somebody loved me. Midgardian, of course; you had clearly been seduced by their advertising into thinking this was some strange form of Earth magic.

"I see" I said, smirking, almost chuckling – "I brave the outer realms for an enchantment to save your life and you get me a crummy Midguardian holiday souvenir?"

"Be glad I got you anything brat!" you retorted, though I could see your eyes nearly getting sad - "You hate it then?" you said, just two minutes later. I sighed –

"It's …nice – it's a very nice….piece of rock."

I slipped it into my pocket and never told you the rest. How centuries later, after New York, after everything had changed beyond repair, I sat in my cell and stroked that smooth heart shaped rock between my fingers. How it was worn down out of shape and the size of a pebble from centuries of my nervous fingers, years of lying with it in my hand beneath the pillow at night, comforting in its smooth familiarity. How it nestled into my palm as I sat staring at the four walls left to me, reminding me that somebody had loved me and how, when I died I could see before I went, the threadbare cord around your neck where my battle charm still lay.

_x_

**Again this was not meant to be first person. Gonna run off into the night now yelling "Loki you thief! Come back here with my narrative!"**

**I may write a festive M rated second chapter, with firelight, midwinter tree and frickle frackle if anyone is interested? (I may also do it if nobody is!)**


	2. Chapter 2

**M rated second chapter as promised! Merry Christmas!**

**2.**

I watched your face in the firelight, studying the play of red light and shadow on your skin; I wanted to follow those dancing shadows with my fingertips across your face. I wanted to feel you, warm beneath my hands and radiant in the glow of the thousand coloured lights around us. I _wanted_ until I felt my heart would stop and my every thought was so loud they must surely be heard by everyone for miles around. Certainly by mother and father. I must confess to some degree of relief when they finally said goodnight, mother entreating us that if we had to go to bed dreadfully late, which she suspected we did, to at least not stay up _all _night. We muttered the usual trope of assent and midwinter greeting and as soon as they were gone I looked back over at you expectantly. You did not even look up from your book. I watched your fingers play across the pages, stroking the new leaves almost lovingly. I could not decide if I was jealous or just infuriated. I wondered if you were well aware of this and that this was why you were not acknowledging me. As usual I found myself dancing across the precarious line of appearing wretchedly needy and wanting you too much to care.

It was not until I saw you smirk and softly snort to yourself that I realised you were completely and utterly doing this on purpose. You tilted your head to one side and continued pretending to read as you murmured –

"Yes brother? How may I help you."

"How do you even do that?" I could not hide my surprise, you would think I had learnt to be used to your remarkable talent for dissembling but I never quite did.

"Please –" you drawled, your tender mockery soft as a caress – "I can _feel _your eyes on me. Mmmm – _everywhere –" _you put the book down in your lap and stretched, feigning a yawn of pleasurable disinterest. I would say you had no idea what you did to me but I suspect that this was not entirely true – "Tickles" You added.

I could not tell you how I marvelled at your stillness, your apparent perfect calm that I could never match. Especially when I _knew_ you and knew that _calm _did not describe you correctly at all. You were like a cool and perfect stream into which I could not keep myself from diving over and over again, however much the dark currents in you threatened to drag me under forever. I could not help but be intrigued at how you covered passions I knew to be intense with that beautiful veneer of tranquil, collected detachment. You told me once, later, it was because you really were detached, removed from everything, untouchable and immovable by any of us. Without feeling or concern you said. The lies bubbled beneath your surface making the undertow dangerous and nearly fatal to me, but it never did stop me from diving into that stream again and again.

But I was dull and could not tell you all this in words, not then, instead all I said was –

"Loki put down that book if you value it."

You raised a perfect eyebrow but you put the book gently – agonisingly _slowly – _to one side and rolled your eyes at me theatrically –

"There you are brother – I'm all yours."

"_Yes –" _I growled, crossing the space between us in a near dive towards you – "_You are." _I caught your face in both my hands, dragging my fingers through your hair – a snarl of tangled silk in my hands, your skin butterfly soft and warm from the fire, my fingers shook across your face and the shudders went right through me. I kissed you like I had been starved, as though you had made me wait an eternity rather than just the day and passive though you attempted to appear your fingers dug hard into my arm and into my hair in return. Your lips were tender and fierce, setting me on fire and quenching the flames all at once and if I hadn't wanted more, always more, I could have kissed you forever. My fingers squeezed and stroked at your neck and downwards and I asked you if you valued your shirt –

"Would you care?" you hissed.

"No" I spat back, ripping it down and tearing the remnants to expose your perfection to the firelight. You were still pale, dancing with gold in the light and it drove me over the edge to know that breakable though you looked you could take all I could give you. You released a shuddering gasp and attempted to sneer –

"Oh brother, you're such a _brute." _You pouted, but there was a glint in your eye and when it reached your lips you tore back at me more violently than I had at you, your nails not stopping at my shirt but ripping into my back as you had promised you would before. I almost wanted to scream, the pain was exquisite and wonderful. I managed not to, snarling instead –

"But do not tell me you do not love it –"

"I do not" – only you could have lied at such a moment – "Anymore that you love it when I hurt you." _Damn. _You had me. But then again, you always did. I pushed you roughly onto your back and dipped my head to feast on my prey, kissing and biting into your neck and tracing tongue and teeth almost worshipfully across your shoulders and collarbones. You all but closed your eyes completely, shuddering moans escaping those lovely, treacherous lips and I thumbed circles round your wrists in time to your cries that escalated them tenfold. Your hands clawed at my neck to drag me down, to whisper your deadly sweetness into my ear –

"I will _always _hurt you brother, and you will _always _love it, if you trust no other promise I ever make trust this –" I slid against you, thrusting my hardness against yours, your answering thrust telling me in truth that this was _not _the only promise you would ever mean. I cursed you, for all that you did to me, asking you as I cursed you why you tortured me as you did, why you always made me wait. You grinned, like you had been hoping I would ask –

"Why, so that you will hurt me too, of course."

"Do not tempt me brother –" You made a _please, really? _face, pouting again –

"But it's so much _fun" _you whined, smirking.

I let out a breath that shuddered in my chest, yanking you upwards by the hips to divest you none too gently of the rest of your clothes. You were so gorgeous in the firelight I lost control of myself enough to tell you so –

"You are _beautiful _brother –" I shook my head, overwhelmed by it, hands shaking but determined in your hair, running up your chest and wringing soft growls from your throat – "I could die from wanting you too much."

"That would be – most impractical." You hissed out between whimpers, your talented fingers stripping me as naked as you were. I loved to hear you release those sounds that gave away your own desire and pleasure in my touch and I always determined to make you as vocal as possible.

"What?" You asked, I must have been smiling.

"Oh little brother –" I grinned, torturing your hip bones in the way that wade you squirm and thrust against me needily – "You do like to pretend you're not making any of those noises don't you?"

"I don't know what you mean –" you laboured out through gritted teeth – "I'm not –"

"Brother you moan for me like a whore – and I will hear you _scream _before I am through with you and I will _never _be through with you, needy little thing."

You snarled and glared at me, despite how difficult it must have been for you with my hand around your cock and my fingers sliding gently into you. If you did know when to stop talking this did not affect whether or not you did. You snorted where you wanted to wince and groan –

"_I'm _not the needy one. _You're _the one that cannot keep your hands off me – _and _ you're the one who gets off on calling me _brother _when you're inside me you sick bastard –"

You looked briefly proud of your hit, though you conjured a small bottle into your fingers at the same time and tossed it to me so I could rub the oil into my cock, insanely ready for you;

"You are right –" I half acknowledged, pressing hard against your entrance – "I _cannot _keep my hands off you – and you would be sorry if I could –" I left you no room to object, ramming into you hard and holding you down tight by the arms. You felt _perfect, _you always did, hot and tight and incredible around my cock and you screamed as I had hoped you would, all the time twisting your legs around me to pull me into you deeper. I was kind at first, thrusting into you deeply and slowly until you got used to the feel of me inside you and you clawed into my back angering and arousing me into shoving in hard and fast, pounding into you as brutally as I needed to, with every inch of my cock and every ounce of my lust.

"Told you –" I grunted – "You would scream."

You bit into my shoulder, remorselessly hard to stop yourself and make me scream instead, my cock throbbing inside you, powered by the stinging pain of your teeth into a yet more violent assault upon your perfect body.

"- and I told you –" you grinned, in spite of the sensations that must have been racking you, my hand squeezing around your cock in return " – you loved it when I hurt you." Your eyes glittered, looking at the marks your teeth had made, seeing you had drawn blood and licking wickedly at the wound to taste. I felt you shudder in delight, saw you snarl and dip your head to suck deeply at my skin, feeding on me as I pounded you. Your head fell back from me and I felt your chest flutter as you gasped intensely, the normally perfect mask of your face blown open in ecstasy, not a single lie in any line of you as you came shaking beneath me. I felt your cock spilling into my hand, saw my blood on your lips and the delight in your eyes and it _destroyed _me utterly, I came screaming your name and burning from the rush of my seed into you, gathering you to me so close I lost track of which of us was which.

"I love you" I whispered, shaking and shuddering as I fell down against you, repeating it over and over – "I love you brother."

By the time I could look you in the face I could see the mask was falling at least part way back into place again already, though with so fewer layers than you usually wore, and you were smirking at me smugly –

"You said my name" you grinned.

"Don't get used to it." I grunted.

"Oh brother."

I growled and rocked with effort into a sitting position, dragging you with me. It was not difficult, you were limp and soft as a kitten in my arms –

"Consider it a midwinter gift" I added – "Since you hated mine so much."

"I never said that" you murmured, nuzzling your head into my chest and curling up against me. I would never have stopped you doing this by pointing out that you were. I just kissed your head and wrapped my cloak around us both, wondering if you would ever say you loved me back or if this was your way of doing it. Your hands were curled up against your chest and I covered both of them in one of mine. I stretched and yawned and we stayed there for an age in silence, watching and listening to the fire crackle down and smoulder in the grate.

"Brother?" you said, dreamily.

"Loki?"

"I am, yes –" I had no idea to what you were referring, not knowing it was a question I has asked several hours ago –

"What?" I felt you frown, surprising yourself as much by saying it as realising it was true at this time –

"Happy."

_x_

**Merry Midwinter – Christmas – Time everyone! Enjoy the festive Thorki! :-) My gift to all! **


End file.
